Glider: Then and Now -- Play Glider Pro on Your OS X Mac for Free

Then:Glider, I've missed you. It's been too long since I last danced on gentle air currents as a mischievous paper airplane. One of the best Mac games of all time, Glider Pro balances elegant, simple controls and rules. You just coast through a house, rising up on drafts to avoid the ground. Cluttered rooms introduce obstacles and enemies: paper shredders, bouncing balls, a toaster that flings bread into your airspace, and more. While always simple, Glider is also crafty, creative, and challenging; it's a soaring combination.

Back in its late '80s and mid '90s height, versions of the game transitioned along with the Mac from black-and-white to 256-colors. In a few editions, it even moved from System 6 all the way to OS X. Glider Pro hooked a lot of Mac fans with that unforgettable electric-bass soundtrack and a house editor.

If you missed the original peak or want to fly through the nostalgic Slumberland house, you can still play Glider Pro today for free. After publisher Casady & Greene crumbled and Glider creator John Calhoun began working at Apple, he released the game online. It's perfect for a laptop or quick break at work.

Glider Pro should twist your perspective on old games.

Now:You have two main ways to play Glider Pro: in a web browser and as an OS X application. To run the web-based game, which sadly lacks the catchy soundtrack in-game, just visit its page. But I think Glider Pro deserves a permanent place on my hard disk; it's the least I can do for this old friend.

Download the OS X application at John Calhoun’s website. There's even an OS 9 version, plus System 6, System 7, and Windows, if you find yourselves bored and at one of those old computers. While downloading Glider Pro, pick up the level packs for many more hours of play.

Unzip the files, and move them to your Applications folder. Move the files within the More Houses Part 1 and More Houses Part 2 folders into the Houses f folder. Open the serial number text file, and copy it.

Launch Glider Pro, and paste the serial number. If you want to switch houses from the original Slumberland setting, pick Game: Load House, and click a new option. (Use the Up Arrow to see all the others.) Pick Game: New Game to begin. The OS X version lacks some of the screen options and level editor of the OS 9 game, but it's still great fun.

If you're new to Glider, stick with the game for a few tries to get a sense of which objects are background details and which cause you to crash. You'll quickly figure out the rules, foliating with the Arrow Keys, left and right. If you pick up rubber bands, the Up Arrow shoots. And if you find a battery, the Down Arrow gives a temporary burst of speed. Hit the Left- and Right-Arrows together to turn the plane around.